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News and notes from the rodeo trail

by
Tracy Renck | Jul 16, 2018

PRCA Stat of the Week

The PRCA has four rodeos taking place between July 17-24 that have a total payout of nearly $1.5 million. Three of those are Wrangler ProRodeo Tour events – Nampa, Idaho; Salinas, Calif.; and Spanish Fork, Utah. The fourth is the K Days Rodeo in Edmonton, Alberta, which paid out nearly half a million dollars in its inaugural year in 2017.

Bull rider Joseph McConnel, 24, is expected to miss at least a month after being injured when he was bucked off by 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Rodeo Houston, July 14, at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo. McConnel suffered a spinous process fracture in his back when the bull stepped on him. McConnel, who was 19th in the latest PRCA | RAM World Standings, also suffered a collapsed right lung during the wreck. “I can feel everything,” McConnel said when asked if he had any paralysis. “After talking to a doctor (in Colorado Springs), they told me to sit out about a month. I just want to rest and get healthy and get back out there. Injuries are just part of the game in the bull riding.” … Tie-down roper Cade Swor, a seven-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, is out indefinitely with a broken right arm. Swor suffered the injury while competing at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, July 11, and he underwent surgery on the arm the same day. He’s expected to be sidelined for 6-8 weeks. Swor qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2004-06 and 2014-17. He finished a career-best fourth in the 2017 world standings with $210,748. At last season’s Wrangler NFR he placed in eight rounds – highlighted by a second-place finish in Round 2 – and finished third in the average with $125,288. As of July 12, Swor was 22nd in the world standings with $34,880 … PRCA Bull rider Jason Blasdel of Fruita, Colo., suffered fatal injuries while competing at a non-PRCA rodeo in Wyoming. Joe Blasdel, the father of Jason Blasdel, says his son was injured July 7 while competing at the Platte River Rodeo in Saratoga. Blasdel passed away July 8. He was 30. Jason Blasdel is survived by his wife, Heather and two daughters, ages 6 and 2 … The next PRCA Rodeo Camp will be Aug. 11 in Cascade, Mont. The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (MT). Registration is required at www.prorodeo.com/prorodeo/rodeo/youth-rodeo.